The Quiet Before the Storm
by vinbaby19
Summary: Before T2 Riddick is in triple max slam where he meets somone intriguing.
1. Meeting

She sat on a bench, arms chained out from her sides, and a bit in her mouth. She was picked up a few days ago on the planet Sirion. She knew it was only a matter of time before they caught her and now here she was staring across the room at a smirking Johns. He had found her in a shitty motel on the outskirts of the city. She put up a pretty good fight. She had even busted his lip and she was pretty sure he had a fractured rib but in the end he took her down with a blow to her head. She woke up chained in this room after they were already in flight. She glared at him while he smiled across from her.

"We'll be there in a few hours. You know it was a lot harder than I thought it would be." He stood up and walked over to her standing only a few inches from her face. His belt buckled twinkled in the overhead light as she stared at his crotch. She slowly lifted her head and snarled at him. "God your sexy when you do that." His smile made her blood boil. "You know if I thought you wouldn't ghost me as soon as the lock clicked I'd take those chains off and fuck you right here."

"And I'd break your neck before you could unbutton your pants." She hissed it in a voice barely above a whisper.

He chuckled lightly and took his seat across from her. "You'll need that spunk in there sweetheart. This ain't no five star hotel you're going to. It's a triple max slam that holds the most dangerous men alive. As soon as they see your pretty face, those tits, and that ass you're gonna be their number one target." He was right and she knew it. Before she had time to let it settle inside her she felt the ship shake slightly and then come down with a jarring force. "Alright sweetheart, we're here." He stood a second time and walked over to her again. "If you make any kind of movement I don't like I won't hesitate to blow a hole through you with this gauge." He quickly unchained her outstretched arms and then cuffed them behind her. He pulled her to her feet and shoved her down the exit ramp. The moment the door opened guards stood around her with guns and shock sticks. Johns shoved her down the ramp and into the doors of the slam.

She stood in a small grey room with no windows and some small vents along the top. "Take a deep breath and hold it." The voice came from a speaker to her left and when she heard the hissing of gas she drew a deep breath. The moment the gas stopped she took a breath of air smelling the chemical that had been sprayed on her. It was a chemical they used to delouse the inmates and surprisingly it smelled like baby powder. The door opened and a guard grabbed her arm pulling her out into the hallway and towards a large metal door with the words 'Warning. Do not cross unless authorized.' She knew that beyond that door was the rest of her life. "Wait!" She turned her head and saw Johns walk over to her. He made a motion with his head telling the guard to leave them for a second. As the guard walked off Johns bent over and slid something into her boot. "Don't say I never did anything for you sweetheart." He smiled and walked away again.

Her guard returned and punched in a code for the door. _98683._ She locked that number into her memory, burning it into the depths of her mind. The door slid open with a hiss and he pushed her to the other side. As he pulled her down the dim corridor she felt her heart speed up as men called out to her. The guard stopped in front of an empty cell and shoved her inside. He unlocked her cuffs but not before he slid his hand onto her ass and gave a squeeze. He chuckled lightly and then walked away letting the door slam behind him. She growled and let his face be imprinted into her memory for later use. Her hands and arms ached from being cuffed for so long and she rubbed them trying to get felling back into her extremities. She looked around her current living area and saw that she had a cot, a toilet, and a sink. She shrugged and walked over to her cot and sat down. She slid her hand into her boot and pulled out the shiv Johns had put in it. _'That stupid prick. He thinks that just because he gave me a shiv I won't ghost him when I break out. Well sorry to disappoint you Johns but you're a dead man.'_ She placed it down the back of her pants where she would have better access to it when it came time to use it and that time would come and she knew it would be soon.

He stared across his cell at his new neighbor. He watched her pull the shiv from her boot and put it in her pants. She lay down and he made a mental note that she was packing. The other inmates were still calling to her and telling her what they were going to do to her once they were out of lockdown. Only six more hours and they would be at her cell.

She heard the men yelling at her, threatening her. She knew thay would be there as soon as they came out of the darkness. She knew Koratisk held the worst of the worst; murderers, rapists, child molesters and rapists. There were 564 prisoners in Koratisk and only three of them were women. Johns told her what happened to women in prison. He told her that they were claimed by the 'big man on campus' so to speak. He would claim them, break them, and then pimp them out to the other prisoners. She shuddered at the thought and she was determined that it wouldn't happen to her. She smiled to herself knowing that she had the upper hand in a way. She wasn't sent to a triple max slam because she shop lifted or jaywalked. She was there for murder. They didn't know her and they took her for granted. Knowing that Koratisk was on 12 hour days she decided she should rest up. She would need her strength for the task that lay ahead of her, it was exhausting defending yourself.

Riddick saw her sleeping and shook his head. She was one stupid bitch. In ten minutes Ajax was gonna be inside her cell so he can claim her. Ajax was the 'Boss' of Koratisk so to speak. He was the person you went to for protection and pussy. Personally Riddick despised him and his cocky demeanor. He thought he could walk all over anyone and normaly he could but Riddick wasn't afraid of him and Ajax knew it. When Riddick was brought to Koratisk Ajax tried to pull his bad ass shit on him but Riddick wasn't fazed. Ever since then Ajax has been after him.

The lights flicked on and still the sleeping figure didn't stir. Riddick shook his head again and decided that he would stick around for the show. He wanted to know if this chick could handle that shiv or if it was just for show. He heard the lock on the cell doors click and then they pulled open with a hiss. He saw her sit up on the edge of the cot and crack her neck. _'This should be interesting.'_

She heard the doors open and she took a deep breath. She pulled herself up and swung her legs over the side of the cot letting her feet rest on the floor. She cracked her neck and stretched. Soon she heard footsteps approach her cell and then she saw a very large man standing in her door way. She slowly lifted her head and growled at him.

"There's two ways this can go down. Either you can do as I say without fighting me or you can try to prove something and then I'll have to take you by force. Which is it gonna be?" He was smirking at her while he crossed his arms over his chest.

She ran her eyes over his body sizing him up. He was a large man but she could tell he wasn't very quick. All his strength lied in his upper body. She smiled to herself as she answered him. "You wouldn't blame a girl for trying to defend herself would you?" She stood from the cot and let her arms hang at her sides.

He smiled and uncrossed his arms from his chest. "I would prefer it if you did. I like my bitches feisty." He moved towards her quickly and swung one of his huge arms at her head but she quickly ducked away from him and moved so she was crouched behind him with a shiv drawn. "Where did you get that?" He expected her to fight back but he didn't expect her to have a weapon. She didn't even have time to get one before lockdown.

"What? Scared?" She smiled at him wickedly and tossed the blade between her two hands.

"Not at all beautiful but it's a huge mistake on your part. That'll only piss me off more." He lunged again but she countered his attack by moving swiftly to her right and in the process she sliced his right arm. Not enough to hurt him but enough to show him she wasn't playing around. He looked down at his wound and then snapped his head to glare at her. "You messed up bitch." He whistled and two more men stood inside her already cramped cell. "Now when I get a hold of you I'm gonna let Rick and Spence over here have you first and believe me they aren't as gentle as I am."

She glanced behind them and saw the other two men grinning at her. _'Shit! I can take this fuck but three of them, there's no way.'_ She didn't let her face show her fear but she smiled and tilted her head at the one in front of her. "What's your name Romeo?"

"Ajax, remember it cause you're gonna be screaming it later." He smiled at the thought of her screaming underneath him. "And what's yours beautiful?"

"Carla, remember it cause that names gonna be the last one in your mind when you die." She moved quickly before he could react and slashed his stomach swiftly causing him to bend over and cover the wound. She wasted no time in quickly plunging the tip of her shiv into his throat and with a twist she heard a pop and her face was sprayed with his blood.

She watched his eyes go wide and then he fell forward onto the floor causing his blood to pool out onto her cell floor. She looked up at the other two men and they looked at the body of their boss lying in a pool of his own blood. "You can either walk out of here with your life or you can stay and join your friend." She pointed to the lifeless figure at her feet.

The one Ajax had called Spence whistled and four more men appeared behind them. "Get the bitch and take her to my cell. I'm gonna teach her some manners." The four men moved towards her but were stopped when they heard a growl from the cell across from hers. They turned and saw a large figure leaning against the door of his cell. He wore a black tank and some green cargo pants. He was huge, both height wise and build. "We claimed her first Riddick. If you let us take her I promise you can have the first go at her." Spence spoke as calmly as he could to the looming figure across from him but the fear in his voice was thick.

"How about you all walk back to your cells now and I'll claim the bitch myself." It wasn't a question, it was a command. Riddick smelled the fear in Spence and this caused him to form a slight grin.

"I have five men including myself. Not even you can take down five men."

"You forgot how I got thrown in here Spence. I killed seven men by myself with only a shiv." Riddick stood up and took a step forward. "And they all had gauges."

Spence stared at Riddick for a second and then motioned to the others with his head. "This ain't over Riddick. The bitch belongs to me." He didn't wait for a comment he just walked down the corridor with his thugs behind him.

Carla watched him go and then looked over at the man across the hall from her. He was enormous, she felt her body tense at the sight of him and she gripped the shiv tighter when he moved into her doorway. "Take one more step in here and I'll gut you." She didn't let her voice falter but she knew deep inside that he would kill her before she had a chance to blink.

Riddick didn't say anything at first he just looked over her body. She wore a black tank top that hugged her breasts tight and showed off her toned stomach. The black cargo pants she wore were tight but not tight enough to hinder her movement. She had long curly red hair that hung in a ponytail down her back and her eyes were a piercing blue. Riddick pulled his shiv out of his pants and flashed it at her. "I have a toy too."

She saw his shiv and her fear heightened. The man she killed earlier was unarmed and took her for granted. This man in front of her had a knife, a very large on at that, and he knew what she was capable of. She took a breath and decided that she would call his bluff. "Just cause you have one doesn't mean you know how to use it." She twirled the shiv in her hand showing her skill.

He gave a quick chuckle and in a lightening quick movement lunged at her and pulled his shiv down the front of her shirt and then across her belly. She stood frozen with fear knowing that when she looked down her blood would be spilling out of her but it wasn't. She glanced down and saw no blood or wound. A smile crept over her lips. "You missed." She saw him gently shake his head no and then she felt a slight breeze across her torso. She looked down and saw that he had cut away her shirt which now lay in shreds on the floor. She sucked in a gasp of air realizing that she was standing in front of him in just a bra. Before she could react she heard footsteps and the guard from earlier appeared in her cell with shock stick in hand.

"Well Riddick I see you wasted no time in getting her undressed." He smiled at her and stepped towards her. "I hate to break up this little party but you killed one of my prisoners and I can't have that can I?" He gave her a wink and she heard the shock stick buzzing in his hand with a blue light. He took his stare off of her and turned to look at Riddick. "Riddick go back to your cell or I'll lay this stick across your head." Riddick looked at him for a second and then walked over to his cell where he disappeared into the dark. "Now Miss Gordon, what should I do to teach you some manners?" He took a step towards her and pointed the stick down at her side. "Lose the shive Carla unless you want me to burn a hole in you with this."

She dropped the shiv and he pushed his face into hers. She graowled at him but he only smiled back at her and grabbed her shoulder. With a push he had her on her knees in front of him. He tilted her head up to look at him and in one swift movement he slapped her hard across the face. With a smile he whispered into her ear. "I always liked a woman better when she was on her knees." He hit her again and that put her onto her side. She felt the anger rise into her and without thinking she kicked him hard in the side of the knee. He hit the ground on one knee causing the stick to fall from his grasp and in a fraction of a second she had her arm around his neck applying enough pressure to cut the air off. He gripped her arm tightly but she only squeezed harder. She felt his life slipping from him but then a burst of pain in the back of her head caused her let go and fall back to the ground.

Her vision was blurred but she saw the outline of a guard leaning over her. "Come on Kip. Get up and grab Ajax. We'll leave her here and let the prisoners have her. She won't be able to protect herself after that blow I just gave her." She heard coughing and then the guard she had been choking kicked her hard in the side.

"I hope they all fuck you bitch." He spat the words at her and with another kick to the stomach he and the other guard grabbed the dead body and left. As she watched them leave she felt herself slipping from consciousness.

He watched her as she lay in his cell. After the guards left he brought her in with him to keep the other prisoners off of her. He didn't care what they did to her he just didn't think it fair if she didn't have a chance to protect herself. In a way she impressed him. She had killed Ajax without much effort and she had disabled Kip without a shiv. She was good but not good enough. He saw her starting to stir and moved back into the shadows.

She woke up with a pounding pain in her head. She didn't know how long she was out but she figured it was awhile. She looked around and noticed that she wasn't in her cell. Fear took over and her body tensed up. She was on the floor of a cell that wasn't hers in her bra and pants. Why hadn't they done anything to her yet? They must have wanted her awake so they could watch her struggle. She rolled onto her stomach and pushed herself onto her hands and knees. Her side screamed in pain causing her to moan and grab it. That fucker had almost broken her ribs. She took a breath and then sat up on her knees searching the cell. There was no one there, or was there? She scanned the dark corners and then her eyes landed on a large figure crouching with his back to the wall. She sucked in a breath when he moved into the light and she saw that it was Riddick. She growled at him and then she looked at her side and saw the huge bruise that covered the whole right side of her abdomen.

"You're lucky he didn't break your ribs." His voice was raspy and she glared at him when she heard him speak.

"And he's luck that other fucker hit me before I choked him to death." She watched him as he moved closer. "If you touch me I'll kill you."

He chuckled and moved towards her again. He stopped no more than a foot from her and knelt down so his face was level with hers. "I think you forgot that I'm the one who gave you the wardrobe change." He smiled and nodded his head to her barely covered chest. "I can just as easily take that off too."

"What's stopping you?"

In a split second he had her pushed to the floor and was straddling her chest. His arms held her hands above her head and his face was inches from hers. "You better watch your mouth bitch. I don't play games." He leaned in and smelled her hair nuzzling his face into her neck and then whispering in her ear. "If you wanna stay alive I suggest you be nice." He pulled away and looked down into her eyes. Her face was solemn but her eyes showed that she was terrified. Riddick stood up and pulled her up with him. He stared down into her face and then let go of her and sat on his cot. He watched her as she stood there where he left her. She kept her head down but she didn't cry. Finally she lifted her head and looked at him.

"I'm hungry."

He smiled and stood up walking to the cell door. "Stay behind me and don't look anyone in the eye. When we sit down you are gonna sit on my lap." He saw her give him a glare. "If they think your mine they won't touch you." He headed down the hallway and smiled when he felt her following in his footsteps.

They entered the cafeteria and she could feel everyone's eyes on them but she didn't dare look up at them. Riddick grabbed a plate and shoved it into her hands and then walked over to an empty table. He sat down and she hesitated for a second but he grabbed her firmly by the waste and pulled her onto his lap. She started to pick up the food to eat but he grabbed her hand and stopped her. "Wait till I'm done." She did as she was told and sat with her head down while he ate. She felt his arm around her bare waist and her face became hot. She remembered that she was in nothing but a bra. When he was done she ate quickly and then he pulled her to her feet leading her back to his cell. He walked over and sat on his cot pulling his knees up to his chest. She didn't know what to do so she just stood in the corner farthest away from him.

She had dosed off but snapped back awake when she heard something metallic hit the ground in front of her. She looked up and saw her shiv lying by her feet. She glanced up and saw Riddick standing over her. "You'll need that but let me warn you. If you try anything on me I will kill you." She knew he was serious so she waited till he walked back to his cot before she picked it up and put it in the back of her pants. She looked at him while he lay on his back on the cot. She wanted to lie on her cot but she dared not leave the safety of the cell. She finally lay on the cold floor and drifted into sleep.


	2. New plans

She woke up and popped her back releasing the tension from sleeping on the floor. Her body was covered in dried blood and filth and she cringed at the smell. Glancing over at a prone Riddick she moved towards the door of the cell.

"Where do you think your going?"

She looked over her shoulder and saw he was unmoved. "I'll be right back. Don't get your panties in a bunch." She walked across the hall to her cell and found the tattered remains of her shirt Riddick had cut from her. She went to her sink and turned on the water. After soaking the rags that were once her favorite tank top she rubbed the cool water soaked fabric over her arms and stomach. When she was certain these areas were clean she started to unbutton her pants but stopped when she felt eyes on her. She looked up and saw Riddick leaning in her door way. "Can I help you?" He didn't say anything he just continued to stand there. She just sighed and stripped off her pants leaving her in her black bra and matching underwear. She washed her legs until they were red from her scrubbing. She pulled her pants back on and tugged her hair out of the pony tail. She tilted her head under the faucet and soaked her hair until it was drenched. When she was done she stood back up pulling her hair into a messy bun. She still saw the figure in her doorway but she stopped suddenly when she noticed the shape was much smaller. She turned slowly and saw a grungy looking man with dirty blonde hair and a goatee smiling at her.

"Riddick messed up leaving you alone. I passed him in the hallway going to the caf and when I didn't see you with him I figured I'd come have some fun." He licked his lips and smiled at her evilly.

She sighed and turned to face him fully. "I'm not in the mood right now. How about you walk away and I forget all about this?" She watched him as he continued to smile at her. She shook her head and exhaled noisily. "It's your funeral."

He lunged at her quickly grabbing her right arm but in a fraction of a second she had her shiv drawn and she makes a deep gash into his arm. He quickly pulled his arm from her quickly he looks up and snarls at her making her smile back at him. "You're gonna pay for that bitch." He lungs again but she rolls away from him and continues to crouch waiting for his next attack. He stares at her a few seconds and then reached into his boot pulling out what looked to be a small ball. In a flick of the wrist he threw it to the floor in front of her and a thick smoke incased her. Surprised by what just happened she sucked in a surprised breath but quickly regretted it. The foreign gas entered her lungs and she felt as if they would explode in her chest. Immediately she dropped to her knees and clutched her throat. When the gas had disappeared she felt an arm around her neck and hot breath in her ear. "It's playtime."

He drug her by her hair down the hallway and into his cell. She tried to pull away from him but the gas ball he had thrown at her earlier made it almost impossible for her to breathe which in turn hindered her ability to fight back. He threw her into the wall of his cell and she coughed violently while she watched him take off his shirt. He pulled her up by her shoulders and pushed her onto his cot where he started to unbutton her pants. Her head was becoming light and she figured he had used Mycommiun gas in that tactics ball he used. Mycommiun was a gas that affected the motor part of the brain. It left the victim conscious but robbed them of any use of their muscles. Tears came to her eyes when she realized she could no longer lift her arm.

"That's right darlin'. I'm gonna fuck you and you'll feel every minute of it. It's a shame you couldn't have just cooperated. It would have been nice to feel you buck underneath me." He gave her a malevolent grin and then shoved his mouth onto hers. She tried to turn away but all movement was gone from her now. She felt his hands travel to her stomach and then down the front of her pants. Tears poured from her eyes when she felt his fingers prod her harshly. At that moment she wanted to die. "Oh sweetheart, you're tight." He smiled down at her as she heard him slid his pants down. She squeezed her eyes shut with every bit of energy she had waiting for him to thrust into her but it never happened. She felt his body lifted from hers and then she heard a gurgling sound. She wanted to open her eyes but the gas had taken full control and she was unable to do so. When she felt someone pick her up tears again poured down her face.

She felt herself being carried down the hallway again. In what direction she wasn't sure. Then she felt herself being lowered onto a cot. She waited for the inevitable but it never came. Slowly her movement came back to her. First her eyes opened and blinked shut again and again. Then her fingers and toes wiggled. Now, she was able to force herself into a sitting position. She looked around and her eyes landed on a very familiar silhouette in the shadows. She scowled at him as he sauntered towards her.

"Why the harsh face doll? I just saved your ass."

She didn't say anything she just glared at him and continued working her paralyzed muscles. She rubbed her calf muscles before she stood up. She swayed a bit but soon her balance was back and she was able to limp around the room. At first her legs screamed at her for forcing them to move but soon she was walking with only a slight hitch in her step. She stared at her surroundings and felt like she wanted to puke. At that moment she decided she was gonna leave this hell hole even if that meant that she would be killed in the process.

She moved out of the cell and across to her own. She searched the floor for the shiv she had dropped but she couldn't se it. I lights were dim and she strained to see it's dark figure in the shadows but it never appeared.

"Looking for this?" She turned around and saw Riddick leaning in her cell door twirling her shiv in his hand. He was grinning widely.

She walked over to him so she was a safe two feet away and held out her hand. "I'll take that back now. Her voice oozed hatred and that made him smile bigger.

"What are you gonna do if I don't let you have it?" He crossed his arms over his chest.

"I didn't ask for you to give it to me. I said I would take it back." She snapped her hand towards him but he caught her wrist and twisted her pulling her to him so her back was against his chest and his arm held hers tight against her body.

"Here's the deal doll. I give you back your shiv and you help me out." He leaned in so his mouth was only inches away from her ear. "What do you say?"

"How about you go fuck yourself?" In a flash her back was against the wall and he had his face inches from hers. She could see his eyes flash in the low light and she felt fear grip her chest.

"Wong answer." It came out as a growl and he could feel her tremble. "Now listen close bitch cause I won't repeat myself. Every two weeks they change the codes to the doors in this place. It just so happens that you came in at the beginning of a new code change. Now I know you're not stupid so why don't you tell me what those codes are and maybe I'll leave you here with your life." He stared at her with a solemn face.

She smiled to herself and stared back into his quicksilver eyes. "Now you listen to me you piece of shit. It just so happens that I do know the key codes but I'm not going to give them to you so you can leave and I have to rot in this hell. So here's how it's gonna go down. First, you're gonna take your hands off of me and give me back my shiv. Second, you're gonna go in front of me to take care of any problems we come across along the way. Then, you're gonna fly me off this planet and where I wanna go."

He just glared at her while she stared back at him. He needed her and those codes otherwise, he was just gonna get himself into a world of trouble. He sighed and lowered her to her feet but didn't let go of her. He placed her shiv in her free hand and leaned into her face so his eyes were millimeters from hers. "Stay behind me until we get to the door. Once it's open you better keep up cause I'm not gonna wait for your ass."

She nodded her understanding and he let go of her so he could lean out into the hallway. She didn't move she just watched him and listened for any sound. When he stepped into the hall she was right behind him. He took long strides and she almost had to jog to keep up and they quickly made it to the door only to be stopped by two guards.

"Hold it right there Riddick." They held up shock sticks and a very big gauge. "Just where do you think your going?"

Riddick said nothing but in one quick motion he had the shock stick in one hand and the guard with the gauge in the other. He shoved the shock stick into the guy's temple and he collapsed to the ground by the other guard. Not wasting any time Carla ran to the control key and typed in the numbers that she had burnt into her memory. _98683._ The doors slid open and she followed Riddick running into the docking bay. Just as they reached the holding area an alarm went up and she stopped for a second looking around. There was no one in the bay at the time but she knew it would only be a few moments before the place was flooded with guards. She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the hiss of the cargo hold open on the ship beside her and she ran up the ramp and into the cockpit to see Riddick strapping himself into the pilot's chair. She sat down in the co-pilot seat and strapped herself in. Just as the thrusters kicked into life she saw guards piling into the holding bay but they were too late. She and Riddick were already in the air before they could do anything to stop them.

Her grip on the arm rest tightened as the ship heated up a little. Breaking through the atmosphere on Koratisk was a challenge. At one point she was sure the ship would rip apart but when they pulled out into the dark envelope that was space she smiled and sighed heavily.

Riddick set the autopilot and stood up cracking his neck and stretching his shoulder muscles. He was a bit frustrated with the fact that he had a tag along but she said all she wanted was for him to take her where she wanted to go and drop her off. That reminded him, he didn't know where she wanted to go. "Where am I taking you?"

"Nexus 7." She stared out at the stars and waited for his reaction. It was just what she had expected.

"No way in hell. That's three weeks away. I'll just drop you off on the nearest planet and you can find your own way."

She turned sharply in her chair and look fiercely at him. "We had a deal. I got you out of that hell hole and now you have to take me home." She was on her feet in front of him now.

"All you did was type in a few numbers doll. I was the one that did all the work." He turned and walked down the hallway and into the mess hall.

She watched him walk away and felt the anger boil in her. She was angrier with herself than with the dip shit who had just stated the obvious. She should have known that he wouldn't have taken her home. _'All I did was type numbers. FUCK YOU!'_ She walked down the hallway now but stopped in front of a door that was too her right. When she opened it she saw a double bed and a dresser. The room was small and she figured that the person this belonged to traveled alone. She walked over to the dresser and opened it finding the top drawer to be filled with boxers and the second muscle shirts and pants. She picked up a pair of boxers, a shirt, and a pair of pants and then entered the tiny door to the right of her. It was a small shower but she was grateful for it. She turned the water on full letting the scalding water wash over her skin.

Thirty minutes later she exited the bathroom in her new outfit. Her skin was still wrinkly from the water and the pants were a little big on her. She rolled the top of the cargos down making them fit tighter but not much. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. She was thankful to have a shirt again and the thought that Riddick had seen her without one made her shudder. She hated him and she was sure that the feeling for her was mutual but she still didn't like him looking at her half naked body. She sighed and left the room to find the hallway flooded in darkness.

"Lights." She spoke the words but the command wasn't answered. "Lights on." Still nothing.

"Lights twenty percent." the deep voice came from behind her and when the dim light kicked on she turned to face him. "I programmed them to my voice."

She didn't say anything she just stared at him while he leaned his shoulder against the wall and his hands were crossed over his chest. Now she really hated him.

"You're not afraid of the dark are you?" His voice was mocking.

"No but apparently you're afraid of the light." She smiled a little when she saw his disappear. Her smile didn't last long however.

"Lights off." His deep voiced rumbled and the whole ship was sent back into shadows.

Her breath caught in her throat when her vision was taken. She tried to focus but it was useless. She couldn't even see her hand in front of her face. She tried to focus on where he was but she heard nothing. Then she felt breath hot against her neck.

"Sure you're not scared?" She could hear him smiling as he whispered it.

Her whole body was tight when she felt him grab her hair and smell it. She tried to turn and face him but he wrapped his arms around her chest pulling her back against his broad chest. She shuddered as the thoughts of what he was going to do ran through her mind. She almost puked.

He felt her shudder against him and he realized that she thought he was gonna rape her and that terrified her. Smiling to himself he leaned into her ear. "Why are you so scared Carla?" He moved his face to her other ear. "What is it you think I'm gonna do to you?" He felt her body relax and he furrowed his brow in confusion. Before he had a chance to react she had wrapped her leg behind his and pulled it out from under him sending them both to the ground.

As soon as he hit the floor she rolled off of him and put her back against the wall. At least now he couldn't sneak up behind her. She continued to stare into the darkness waiting fro him to attack.

He watched her back against the wall and realized she wasn't as dumb as he thought. She had just taken an advantage away from him and in a way he was awed. She was terrified of him yet she dared to attack him. Interesting.

"Lights twenty percent."

The dim light caught her off guard and she squinted till her eyes adjusted. She looked over and saw Riddick staring at her.

"I'm dropping you off on Killdare. It'll take three days to get there." After saying this he walked back to the control room.

'_Killdare…That'll do till I can get to Nexus 7. Great, three more days with this fuck up.'_ She sighed and followed him to the room. She decided that she didn't want him sneaking up on her so she was gonna be one step behind him for the next three days. She sat on a bench in the back of the room and followed his every movement with her eyes. He seemed to know what he was doing but for all she knew he could be blowing them up. Ships were not her thing.

"I don't like being stared at." He growled at her without turning.

"And I don't like it when you attack me in the dark but that doesn't stop you now does it?"

He smiled to himself and then turned to stare at her. "How did you get sent to slam?"

"I didn't do my taxes." Her voice was dripping with sarcasm and a smile tugged at her lips.

"Very funny." The tone of his voice proved that he wasn't amused.

"What do you think I did?" She chuckled and rubbed her temples. "Jesus Riddick, I thought you were smarter than that at least."

He continued to stare at her till she sighed, forcing all the air out of her lungs until she took another deep breath.

"I didn't have a wonderful home life. My mom was a junkie and my dad; well my dad never really came around." She rubbed her temples again and then continued talking. "One night my mom brought home a random. She always brought home guys but this guy was different. He wore a suit and he smelled like cologne not sweat. Apparently he wasn't satisfied with mommy dear and decided he wanted some younger meat. He wasn't expecting I'd be packing. I stuck a knife into his chest the moment he pulled the covers off. My mom freaked out and left. I didn't know what to do so I left him there and ran. I went to a hotel near our apartment and hid out for a few days. My face was all over the vids. Apparently the guy I ghosted was pretty high up in the political world. After the money ran out I had to go to the streets. That's when Johns caught up to me."

"Johns? Johns brought you in?"

"Did I stutter?"

Riddick clenched his fist and fought back the urge to teach her a lesson. This kid was mouthy and he didn't exactly appreciate it. "Self defense. Even if he was high up your not gonna get put in a slam for one count of murder. What are you leaving out kid?"

She didn't answer she just got up and walked away down the dim hallway. Once inside the room she found earlier she sat on the edge of the bed with her head in her hands. She shouldn't have told him that. She never should have used Johns name.

He didn't follow her, at least not right away. He waited a few minutes and then stood outside her door. He could hear her breathing and when he heard her cross the room to the bathroom he opened her door and sat silently on her bed.

She stared at herself in the mirror. There were dark circles under her eyes and her hands were starting to shake. _'Not now. I can't go through this now.'_ She felt her stomach turn and she barely reached the toilet in time. She vomited up everything in her stomach which wasn't much. She continued to heave but nothing came up. She threw cold water on her face and then opened the door stumbling back into the bedroom. She groaned when she saw a new element had been added while she was gone.

"You always puke after telling that story or is there something else I should know about?"

"She sighed and sat in a small chair in the corner. "It's nothing. Just nerves."

He didn't say anything he just continued to stare.

"Is there a med room on this beast? I could use something to settle my stomach."

"Down the hall by the kitchen."

She rose from her chair and walked in the direction he had given her. She turned before going in the room and saw that he didn't follow. She shut the door behind her and saw a small med locker in the corner. She looked through it first but didn't find what she was looking for. Then she saw a small black box in the back and her eyes lit up. She pulled it our and sat it on the table in the middle of the room. She bit her lip in anticipation as she popped the top open and she smiled when she saw the contents. There were six cartridges each containing three vials. That would be enough to last her till she got off this thing. She took out a vial and put it in the hypoderm. The needle pooped up with a click and she took a deep breath while inserting the tip into her tear duct. The minute the liquid entered her blood she felt a calm rush over her. She dropped the needle onto the table and sat down quickly in a chair to her right. A lazy smile across her lip sand her eyes closed. She was enjoying her high.

"Just nerves huh?" The rumbling voice would have scared her another time but right now she didn't have a care in the world. He stood in the hallway looking at her. It wasn't the glare she was used to. This was much worse.

"Ah, maybe something a little worse." Her eyes were half open and she had a lazy grin on her face. She didn't really care what he thought right now. Right now she didn't have a care in the world.

"Guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." He knew that if he was gonna get a rise out of her he needed to hit her deep. He was pretty sure that bring her mother into the mix would do it. He was right.

Her eyes flicked open and glared at him with pure hatred. It wasn't the words that pissed her off it was the fact that it was truth. As much as she tried to deny it it was true. She was no better than her whore of a mother. His comment sobered her up quick.

"Fuck you. Don't sit there and preach to me about right and wrong. I know who you are and I know what you've done. You're an animal and you deserved to be caged."

He walked over to her and leaned into her face, letting his eyes pierce hers. "That's right doll and don't forget it." He stared at her a few moments longer and then stood up and walked out of the room.

Carla set her new found possessions back in the box and then back in their cabinet. She would be back later to get them. Her walk to the control room was a little more difficult than she had planned. The remains of the morphine made it feel as if her legs were made of iron. When she finally made it to the co-pilots chair she sat down hard with a sigh of relief.

She could feel him glaring at her while she sat with her head back against the seat. After a few minutes she finally grew tired of his stares and opened her eyes.

"What?" Her voice showed that she was agitated.

"How long did you know Johns before he brought you in?"

She wasn't expecting that question but she didn't let it show that he had caught her off guard. "About two months. I didn't know he was a merc though."

He growled at her and in a split second he had her on the ground with his shiv in her neck. "Don't lie to me."

It took her longer than she wanted to answer him but the force of his actions had knocked the wind out of her. It took her a good two minutes before her breathing was back to normal. "Ok, ok. Jesus, you're such a prick. He told me he wouldn't turn me in if I…well, if I..."

"Fuck him."

She was quiet for a few seconds and then nodded. "That lying bastard, I swear to god I'll kill him the next time I see him."

"Is he the reason you shoot that shit into your eye?"

"What do you think?"

They were silent for the rest of the night. At one point Carla fell asleep and when she woke up she had a failure ache in her stomach. She made her way down to the med room but when she opened the locker her little black box was no where to be found. Panic rushed threw her as she tore the contents of the locked out and searched through it. When she couldn't find it there she searched the rest of the cabinets but still found nothing.

"Where the hell is it?" She spoke the words to herself so when a gravely voice answered she jumped in shock.

"I threw it out."

She looked at him a few seconds and then burst out in laughter. "Ha, ha very funny Riddick. Where is it really?"

He didn't say anything he just stared back at her with an emotionless face. She felt her anger build and it took all she had not to kill him right then.

"What do you mean you threw it out?" Her voice was calm but laced with agitation.

"I mean I threw it out. I used the space shoot and dumped it while you slept."

She couldn't control herself any longer and she attacked. He fended off her first fist but she didn't give up and landed a right hook quiet effortlessly to his gut. He doubled over in pain for a second but soon he stood up and stared at her. She knew he wasn't happy.

"Do that again and I'll gut you."

"Do it already? What's stopping you? I'll be dead in a few days without that stuff anyways. Just kill me now so I don't have to suffer." She didn't know it but tears were streaming down her face.

He tilted his head and looked at her. He saw the hate that she had for him and he smiled inside. He knew as well as she did that the withdraws wouldn't kill her but they would be a bitch. He decided he needed her at her best for the plan he was hatching in his head. He left her to wallow in her self pity and then went back to the control room to type in there new coordinates. They were no longer going to Nexus 7.


	3. Hell

The cold of the porcelain did little to stop the heat that poured from her face. She had been in the bathroom for God knows how long and when she thought she had emptied her stomach of everything she was once again proved wrong. He came in once when she first started which was yesterday and watched her drain her stomach and when she looked up at him he had a smirk on his face. If she would have had the energy she would have yelled at him but she was too drained.

It's been three day's since her last spike and these were just the beginnings of her withdraws. As she lay with her head on the toilet she heard him open the bathroom door but all her energy was gone and she couldn't even turn to look at him. She felt his eyes on her and could almost hear him smiling at her as he watched her suffer. With her eyes closed from exhaustion she summoned up enough strength to speak. It came out in a hoarse whisper and her throat felt as if it would tear in two. "I hate you." After saying them she was so exhausted that she fell back against the wall.

"I know."

He left her there alone again as she sat slumped between the toilet and wall. Suddenly a thought came to her and it almost made her bolt upright. Almost. _'Why does he care if I do that shit or not? I mean he's not exactly a world class sympathizer. What does he need me for?'_ She continued to sit there for what seemed like hours just staring at the bathroom door and wondering what he wanted. After hours of sitting she finally summoned up enough courage to crawl into the bedroom and onto the bed. Sleep, however, did not follow.

He heard he move from the bathroom to the bedroom and then he heard her body land hard on the bed. He smiled, the kid was tough. She'd been in that bathroom for 16 hours puking her guts out and somehow she managed to pull herself into bed. Now here comes the fun part.

She tried to sleep, she begged her body to fall into deep slumber before the worst happened but it didn't comply. It started out as a slight twitch of her leg muscles. Then her arms jerked and shuddered. Suddenly her whole body relaxed and she thought it was over, thought that was all that would happen. As swiftly as her body relaxed she felt every muscle tighten. Her calve muscles clenched into a giant ball, her biceps wound tightly against her bones, and her back muscles flexed so hard she was sure they would break her spine. Pain ripped through every fiber of her being and she cried out. She screamed in agony and what felt like death. She tried to straighten her body, tried to loosen her taught muscles but the slightest movement sent more pain pulsing through her. Her eyes were wide with pain, she tried to shut them, wanted to squeeze them tight but she couldn't. Slowly she felt her body loosen. Slowly it relaxed and let her return to normal. A loud groan escaped her as the last of her pain melted away. Her mind screamed for her to get up, to walk around. She needed to stretch her muscles before the next wave set in. If she stretched them it wouldn't be as bad. All she had to do was get up but she couldn't. She couldn't even roll her head when she heard the door open. She was too exhausted to scream obstinacies at him, too exhausted to fight him, and too exhausted to stay conscious.

He heard her scream in pain and knew the dehydration had set in. You don't puke for 16 hours and walk away like nothing happened. Her body was screaming at her for water. It revolted against her when she refused to give it what it wanted and now it would punish her. He ignored her and went back to staring out at space. He checked his coordinates once again and then set the auto pilot. He needed to nap, to restore some of the energy he had expelled in the last couple days but when he heard her groan he snapped his head in her direction. It wasn't a painful groan or a groan of self pity. It was something else, a groan of accomplishment. He walked into the bedroom and stared at her. She was lying in the fetal position with her head facing him but she didn't look up. He knew she wanted to look at him, wanted to cuss him with every breath she had but she was too exhausted. He smiled knowing that once she got her strength back he would have to be on his guard.

She woke up hours later. She didn't know how long she had been out but she knew it was a long time. Her head was pounding and her whole body ached. She continued to lay there until she was sure she could sit up. Her vision blurred and pain seared through her skull at the sudden change of position but she waited for it to pass. Slowly she got up and wobbled into the tiny bathroom and ran cold water into the sink. She cupped the water and brought it to her cracked lips in handfuls. She gulped it down loving its cool caress against her burning throat. When she had her fill she felt a little better. She thought it was actually over, that she wouldn't have to suffer anymore but her hope faded when she felt her legs give out. She landed on her hands and knees in front of the door. She knew what was coming and tried to make it out into the bedroom where she wouldn't be in such confined spaces but it was too late. He body twitched and seized as her eyes rolled back into her head.

When she woke up she was laying in the floor of the bedroom with pillows around her body. She stayed still for a few moments getting her bearings before she sat up slowly. Her body was still sore and her head hurt but not as bad as it had before. She rubbed her palms into her eyes and looked around. It was dark so she knew he must be there watching her. "Can you turn the fucking lights on so I can see?" Her voice was low and husky.

"Lights, 20 percent." His voice was low.

Even thought the light was low it still caused her eyes to throb. She squinted them for a few seconds till they were used to it and then she turned her attention towards him. He was sitting on the bed with her shiv in his hand sharpening it. His silver orbs flashed at her and she saw an evil smile cover his lips.

"What?"

"You look like you just got hit by a ton of bricks doll." He smiled and sniffed the air. "And you smell like shit."

She growled at him and pushed herself up on her heels only to come back down again hard on her ass. She heard him chuckle and it only made her more determined to stand. Rolling over onto her stomach she pushed herself up on her hands and knees. She paused for a second letting her body adjust and then she pushed herself up off the floor. Her body swayed a little before she was confident it wouldn't give out on her. She turned and smirked at him. "If you'd leave so I could get undressed I would take a shower."

He tilted his head and then stood up in front of her. "Maybe I'll stay and watch." He smiled. "You might need me to wash your back."

She sighed and pulled her shirt off over her head. He didn't look surprised but she heard a slight hitch in his breathing. "I'm not in the mood nor do I have the strength to fight with you Riddick so if you wanna watch my smelly ass while I undress that's your problem." She started to unbutton her pants and then she heard him walk out of the room shutting the door behind him. She let out a ragged breath and then had to hold herself against the wall before she fell. She was terrified that he would see through the tough barrier she put up and stay. If he hadn't of walked out just then she would have collapsed at his feet in fear.

After a very long, hot shower she made her way down the dark hall and into the kitchen. The lights were on low and she saw him leaned with his back against the wall and his feet on the table. He was drinking something, she didn't know what. She looked around the kitchen in search of something. Her stomach growled loudly and she realized she had been without food for a very, very long time.

"There's a food replicator in the corner but if I were you I'd stick with something light. Let your stomach get used to having food in it before you stuffed yourself." He said it without any emotion in his voice and went back to drinking whatever was in his cup.

She didn't answer him she just grabbed a packet of instant mush and threw it in a bowl with some hot water. It was bland tasting but it eased her hunger pains and didn't upset her stomach. She sat across from him for a long while just staring at him. She realized that he was drinking tea after a faint smell of cinnamon filled the room. She opted, however, for water. She needed to gain her strength back and lots of water would defiantly help.

He watched her eat the mush she mixed up and he laughed to himself when she downed almost three glasses of water in a matter of seconds. He was glad she was eating light and drinking plenty of fluids. If she kept this up she'd have her strength back in no time and he could get on with his plan. He furrowed his brow as he thought of what he was about to do. Any one else would feel sorry for her, anyone else would try to help her, but he wasn't anyone else. He was Richard B. Riddick, escaped convict and murderer.

Her voice came out cracked and strained and she jumped a little when she heard herself speak. "So, how long have I been inebriated?"

He tilted his head and looked at her.

She smiled. "Excuse me; I forgot you're an idiot. How long have I been laid up?"

He growled at her and took another sip of tea. "About a week."

Her eyes grew huge. "A week? I thought you were taking me to Kildare and that was only three days away."

"Plans changed."


	4. Blue eyed Devil

She didn't know what Riddick's plans for her were. He refused to speak to her after their little encounter in the kitchen. She even tried to read the coordinates on the flight control panel but he had come into the room before she could get a look at it. She didn't trust the fucker, at least not as far as she could throw him and from what she could tell that wasn't far.

He saw her trying to tap into the control panel for the coordinates. Even if he hadn't walked in on her she never would have found them. He took the liberty of programming the computer to his voice as well. She took the co-pilots chair when he entered, tried to look innocent. He only glared down at her and sat in the pilots chair staring out the window into deep space. He could see her watching him from the corner of his eye and when she sighed he knew she was about to talk.

"Why won't you tell me where we're going?" There was nothing only silence. She waited a few seconds longer and spoke again. "What are you gonna do with me?" Still not a word. "Why did you want me off the morph?" He only stared out at space. "I won't go back there. If you're thinking of dropping me with a merc for my bounty it won't happen. I'll kill myself." Her tone was solemn and she meant every word. This got his attention.

"I still get half if you're dead." He turned and stared down at her with his shimmering eyes.

"You really think they would take me over you? You really are an idiot. You're worth 5 times what I am Riddick. What makes you think they won't grab you while coming for me?"

"I'll make the pick up safe. Tie you in a spot and leave you. Tell them to drop the money, take you, and leave faster than they came." He turned back to stare out at the stares once again.

"What makes you think they won't just grab me and take off with your money too?"

"I'll be in the shadows watching. If they try to double cross me I'll gut them." He turned again and stared down at her with an emotionless face. "But the bounty hunter I got in mind won't pass up the chance to have you back."

Her face went slightly pale and she swallowed hard. She knew it was Johns he would take her too. She never should have mentioned his name. "Why?" Her eyes had left his face and she now stared down at her hands. Her voice was barely above a whisper and desperation smothered it.

"Nothing personal doll." He said it as if he had just told her that her breath stunk and he didn't mean to hurt her feelings. "Survival of the fittest."

She got up slowly and went to the bunk room. She didn't want to look at him anymore, didn't want to be near him. She hated him before, wanted to kill him, but now it was more than that. Now she loathed him. She sat there for a few minutes with her head in her hands thinking of what would come of her. Flashes of the past entered her mind. She saw him smiling down at her after he fucked her. She hadn't been completely honest with Riddick before. She never gave herself to Johns and the reason she shot the shit in her eye was because he injected her with it before he fucked her. Said it made her not fight and it also let her body over come her mind and she responded to his touch. In her intoxicated state she would forget that she was restrained and moan against his touch and become wet. After two months of injections your body built up a tolerance and then a need.

He watched her leave the control room but he made no move to go after her. It's not like she was going anywhere. Of course he hadn't been completely honest to her about his plan. He would contact Johns under an alias and tell him he had the girl. If Johns asked about Riddick he would simply say that he dumped the girl and moved on. That is what he would have done had a better situation not arrived. If she hadn't been so open to him she would be free by now. After his little chat with her about Johns he searched her record on the ship data base and found that she had a pretty hefty bounty. Of course it wasn't close to his but it was enough for him to acquire a better ship after he dumped her. He really didn't want to hand the girl over so she would be sent back to slam. He hated to see anyone sent to that place but that's why he had forced her off the morphine. He saw how she handled her self high and he could only guess what she was like sober. Maybe she would escape after he turned her over, maybe she'd kill Johns in the process; either way it was no concern of his. He just wanted his payday.

Her blood was boiling now. She paced back and forth in her room thinking of all the shit Johns had done to her. He had found her easily after she had killed the Governor but he kept her prisoner in that motel till her bounty raised to a price he preferred. In that time he beat her, ravaged her, and broke her. He did things to her she wouldn't wish on her worst enemy. She tried to fight back, hell, she wanted to fight back but he kept her so drugged she didn't know which way was up. She wished the drugs would have kept her from remembering but she wasn't that lucky. She remembered all too well. Remembered how he looked at her with that shit eating grin while he slid his fingers in her, remembered how his faced looked when he came on her stomach. At least the fucker had the decency not to get off inside her. Guess he wasn't looking to father a child anymore than she wanted to be a mother. Maybe if she told Riddick the truth he wouldn't do it. Yeah right, who was she kidding? He could care less what happens to her, all he wants is his payday.

"Hungry?" His deep voice jarred her out of her thoughts but she ignored him. "I said are you hungry?" He sighed when she still refused to answer him and then stepped closer. "Look kid, you're trying my patience here. Do you want some food or not? Might as well get something real in you before you head back to slam."

Her fists clenched at his last comment and she felt her ears beginning to burn but she still didn't acknowledge him. She refused to give him the satisfaction. If she didn't want to eat she wouldn't. It's not like he could make her.

"Look doll, either you eat on your own of I'll force it in you." His tone showed that he was not joking.

"Then do it." It came out between her clenched teeth as a demand. Before she knew it he had her in his arms with one leg under her knees and one hooked under her arm pit. He wriggled and tried to break free but he only held her tighter. When they reached the kitchen he already and a bowl of soup waiting for her and he sat down with her still in his lap.

"You gonna eat on your own or am I gonna pour it down your fucking throat?"

She pursed her lips tightly and glared at him. With a low, feral growl he picked up the bowl and held it to her lips. When she refused to open her mouth her grabbed her jaw with one hand and pushed his thumb as hard as he could into the joint to pry it open but she only pushed her mouth shut harder. Becoming even more pissed he leaned into her neck and bit down hard. Immediately he tasted the metallic taste of her blood and with a little more pressure she opened her mouth to scream. As quick as a cat he grabbed her chin and poured the soup in shutting her mouth before she could spit it out. He waited for her to swallow but she never did. Growling again he covered her mouth with his palm and then pinched her nose closed.

"Either you swallow it or you suffocate. Your choice." He waited for her to swallow but still nothing. Two minutes but she only blinked back at him. Three minutes he saw her face turn red and then at five minutes it faded to a slight blue. Finally, after 6 and half minutes she swallowed and when he released her nose and mouth she took a deep breath. He only smirked at her. "Told you I'd force you."

She ate her soup in defeat and kept her eyes away from him. She wanted to cry, wanted to curl into a ball and cry like a baby, but she wasn't gonna give him the satisfaction. _'You wanna screw me over, fine I can screw you over just as quick. The moment Johns sees me I'll spill my guts about you. If I'm going back to that hell you're coming with me.'_ Her thoughts were momentarily cut off by a beeping sound in the flight control room. She saw Riddick get up and walk rather quickly too it so she followed.

He sat down in the pilots chair and started strapping himself in. "Strap yourself in doll, we're landing." He never took his eyes from the controls as he spoke to her. She stared sown at him for a second and then looked out the window at the growing planet. She didn't recognize it; she didn't care what it was. All she could think of now was the past. She sat down in the co-pilots seat and strapped herself in. Her jaw was locked and her face was set in a grim stare. He was actually gonna do it. She had denied it at first, told herself he wouldn't do it to her. Then, she got angry; she wanted to kill him, wanted to make him scream in pain. After she realized that wasn't going to happen she accepted her fate and now she would do everything in her power to survive.

He noticed the faraway look in her eye. The way her jaw was set and the way she swallowed like she just came to a mind blowing realization. He figured she came to terms with her situation and was now trying to adapt to it. He'd done it many times before. Instead of being angry about what was happening he let it happen and then thought of a plan to get him out. He smiled to himself. _'Strong survival instinct, I admire that in a woman.'_

He landed effortlessly in the loading bays of Cypress 5. The dock operators didn't hassle him for identification codes they just let him in. He knew he would have to pay a pretty hefty charge to keep them quiet when he left but after he dropped his unwanted cargo he would have enough to keep them quiet. He started the shut down sequence to the ship and then walked over to a small locker and pulled out a few things: handcuffs, a graph stick, big gauge, and a bit. If he was gonna leave the bitch with Johns he didn't want her to nark on him until he was a safe distance away.

"Stand up." He turned to her with the handcuffs in hand. She just continued to stare at him. "Stand up and put your hands behind you." She continued her solemn stare at him but did what he told her. He snapped the cuffs in place behind her back and then tried to put the bit in her mouth but she pulled her head away.

"Why the bit?" Her voice wasn't shaky but he could tell she was afraid. "Please don't put it on. I hate those fucking things."

"Got too. I don't want you spilling your guts about me to Johns." He pushed it in her mouth and fastened it behind her head. He opened the door to the hanger and pushed her out in front of him towards a near by exit. He opened the door and she saw that the area around the docking bay was heavily wooded. She assumed from the trees around her that they were in the Cypress system. It was the only system that had trees this size. They towered over one hundred feet in the air and were huge in girth as well. They would make the Redwoods of ancient Earth look like a small sapling. She was quickly pulled from her thoughts as Riddick shoved her to her knees in a small clearing a few hundred yards from the docking bay. She looked up at him while he stared down at her, his face void of all emotion. "This is where I leave you kid. No hard feelings, I'm just doing what's right by me." He looked down at her a second longer and then was gone.

She thought of running at first. Thought she could make a getaway but then she remembered Riddick told her he would watch the switch be made so no one screwed him over. She wondered where he was hiding. The trees would be too hard to climb and there wasn't much underbrush. Then she noticed the sun was setting and shadows grew longer. She strained to peer into the darkness but to no avail. The crunch of a twig to her left captured her attention but it was too late to avoid the blow to her temple. She landed on her side in the soft dirt and stars danced in her eyes.

"Hello darlin'. Miss me?" He was grinning at her with his head slightly to the side and his pearly white teeth glistened in the setting darkness. She growled low in her throat but this only made him smile more. He kicked her swiftly in the stomach and she made a painful grunt. "Did you have a good time with Riddick sweetheart?" He knelt down so his lips brushed her ear as he whispered to her. "Did he fuck you as good as I did?" He stood up again and looked around. "Guess he got tired of your pussy after awhile though and dumped you here. Too bad you were noticed though. Must have been someone with a warrant cause they wanted me to leave the money here and take you with me. Must not be a very smart fucker cause why would I leave two hundred thousand credits with no one to pick them up." He circled around her scanning the growing darkness. "Nope, I'm gonna take you and the money, wait like I did last time for your bounty to up, have some fun while we wait, and then I'll collect." He stopped when a large figure emerged into sight.

"You weren't gonna fuck me over were you Johns?" His voice was low and came out in more of a growl.

"Riddick, glad you came out to join us."

"Just give me the money Johns and you get to walk outa here with the girl."

Johns chuckled and tilted his head to the side. "I'm thinking that I'll cash in on both of you that way I get double the rewards." It a blink he had his gauge drawn and pointed at Riddick. "On you knees Riddick. I don't wanna do this the hard way."

Riddick turned his head and a large popping of his vertebra could be heard. "Hard way? I like to think of it as the fun way." His shiv appeared in his hand and quick as a flash he attacked. Johns got off one shot before Riddick reached him but it hit in the dirt 2 feet beside him. They tangoed for awhile. One would land a blow and then the other one would counter with an equal attack. Finally Riddick pulled the gauge from johns but not before Johns removed Riddick's goggles. A deep throaty laugh escaped Riddick when he saw the black lenses in Johns' hand. "Look around you Johns. It's dark." Riddick readied for an attack but a bright white flash from a plasma blast from Johns caused him to cry out and clutch his eyes as he hit his knees on the dirt. With lightening quick reflexes Johns had hand cuffs on him and a graph stick dangerously close to his head.

They were in Johns' ship now. They were just loaded into the holding bay and Johns had left them alone for takeoff. Her back was against a wall by the door where she was chained with her arms behind her back and her feet cuffed to the floor of the ship. Riddick was across from her in the same position. She still had her bit in but Johns failed to equip Riddick with one. She felt the ship break through the atmosphere and a few minutes later Johns strolled back to where they were. He stopped in front of her and unfastened the bit in her mouth. She worked her jaw around to relieve the stiffness she felt in it and then stared up at him.

He smiled at her. "You don't look happy to see me darlin'." She continued to glare at him but he only laughed. "How about a kiss for old time's sake?" He leaned close to her face. "And no biting or else you'll be chained standing up with no clothes on, got it?" He leaned in when she didn't say anything and lightly brushed his lips to hers. When she didn't try to bite him he pushed into her harder until her mouth opened and he moved his tongue around every inch of her oral cavity. When he was done he pulled away and glanced at her neck where there was a black and blue bite mark. "Riddick likes it rough I see." He turned around and faced a somber faced Riddick.

"You know I gotta mark what's mine." His voice was sarcastic and condescending.

"I'm not a piece of meat." She broke into there pissing contest and her voice was livid.

Johns turned from Riddick and smiled at her. "No, but you are a nice piece of ass." He walked back over to her. "I would really love to continue this conversation we're all having but I need to get ready to dock soon. We'll be taking a merchant vessel Hunter-Gratzner. So, I expect you'll both be on your best behavior." He smiled back at them one last time and then walked away.


	5. PreFlight

She felt the ship jerk slightly and then settle; a few seconds later she heard the clinking of Johns' boots on the cold metal floor. He hadn't stopped staring at her since Johns left them alone last. Penetrating her soul, she felt her skin burn under his gaze and was more than happy when Johns returned. Although, that slight sliver of silver lining was soon replaced with deep dark edges.

"Stand up." He unlocked the shackles from her feet and then her wrists. When she refused to stand he sighed and pulled her up by her arm. Turning her around he quickly re-cuffed her hands behind her. With her back against his chest she felt him nuzzle his nose into her neck. When she felt his hot breath on her ear she went ridged with fear.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Her voice was laced with both anger and panic.

"I'm gonna be in cryo-sleep for 41 weeks sweetheart. I just want to have a little fun before we go under." His hand began to rub small circles on her stomach. "They are doing scans on the ship right now so we won't be disturbed for another hour at least." She shuddered when he nibbled her neck.

"No." She twisted her shoulders trying to get away from him but he grabbed her hard and forced her back against him.

"The choice isn't yours sweetheart." He pulled a syringe from his hip pocket and held it in front of her face. "Do I have to use this or are you gonna be a good girl?"

Her stomach rolled when she saw what dangled in front of her face. Eyes wide with excitement she tried to pull her mind away from what it was. She had just gotten over the most painful experience of her life and she already wanted it more than air. Pulling all of her will power to the surface she turned her face away from the tempting metal tip. "Not here." She glanced around where Riddick sat staring. "Not in front of him."

Johns laughed and turned her to face him. "He ain't gonna do nothing but watch darlin'." He ran his tongue along her bottom lip. "But we'll leave if it makes you feel better." He drug her out of the holding area and shoved her against the wall outside the door. He wasted no time and quickly unbuttoned her pants and shoving them to her knees. Pushing her shirt up to her neck he quickly unhooked her bra while he pulled himself out of his pants. He whispered into her ear while he drove into her. "I love the way you feel around me baby." He moved his mouth to her breast and sucked feverishly. "Have you missed me baby?"

She closed her eyes and tried to block it out but she couldn't. His hips bucked into her with enough force to make a loud smacking sound against the wall. Tears pressed against the backs of her eye lids but she kept them from falling. She wasn't gonna cry in front of him. She wouldn't let him see what he did to her, how much pain he inflicted.

"On your knees." He forced her shoulders down until she stood kneeling before him. "I want you to suck me off baby and if you bite I'll wake you from cryo every week so you can pay me back." He smiled down at her and then shoved into her mouth hard enough to cause her to gag. "Oh god yes." His head flew back in pleasure. "I'm gonna cum and I want you to swallow every last ounce." He moaned it loudly and reluctantly she obliged.

He heard them outside the door, heard the thumping as Johns railed her into the wall. Realization that she hadn't been truly honest with him about her and Johns' relationship hit him when he saw the way her body tensed at the sight of that syringe. _'So that's how you like to play huh Johns? You get her all drugged up so she doesn't know who or what she's fucking. And you said I was the animal.'_ He heard him tell her to get on her knees and a growl emitted from Riddick. He didn't like the girl but she didn't deserve that. When he heard Johns tell her to swallow he pulled against his restraints.

She swallowed and immediately wanted to retch. He pulled her to her feet and fastened her pants while shoving her back into the holding area. After strapping her in he left to prepare for undocking. When she heard his footsteps fade she leaned to her right and emptied her stomach of him.

"Stupid fuck," she was talking to herself. "I'll gut you like the pig you are." He face was hot and her heart pounded against her chest. Riddick watched as a animal slowly rose to the surface.

He chuckled to himself as he watched her try to fight back her demons. It was a losing battle and he knew it. For years Riddick has fought that same battle and lost every time. He knows what it's like to lose control, to fall victim to your own soul. He also knows that once it marks its pray, the beast never gives up the hunt.

Twenty minutes later Johns came back in. He was loaded with a gauge, two blasters, and a baton. First he unlocked Carla and took her into the cargo hold of the Hunter-Gratzner and then he locked Riddick into a special transport chamber. Soon a nurse from med lab came around and made sure everyone was ok and then put them under. Carla didn't fight it, she let the black cloud of cryo envelope her but not before seeing Johns wink at her and lick his lips and not before promising herself that he would never touch her again.


	6. New threats

Sorry for the wait guys. I've been busy. Hope you enjoy it.

_They say most of your brain shuts down in cryo sleep, all but the primitive side the animal side. No wonder I'm still awake. Transporting me with civilians, sounded like forty, forty plus. Heard an Arab voice, some hoodoo holy man on his way to New Mecca but what route, what route. Smelled a woman, sweat, boots, tool belt, leather; prospector type and they only take the back roads. Then there's Johns the blue eyed devil. Plans on taking me back to slam. Only this time he picked a ghost lane. Now here's my real problem, the girl, Carla, I can't seem to get away from her, no matter how hard I try. Long time between stops, long time for something to go wrong._

Carla woke up staring into a black oblivion. Her arms and legs still chained and the bit still securely in her mouth. _'What the fuck is going on here?'_ As if on cue a bright light flooded her vision causing her to squint and turn away.

"Nice to see your ok." The deep drawl of his voice made her cringe and snarl. "What, not happy to see me?" He laughed and hauled her up out of her broken cryo. She tried to say 'What happened?' but it came out muffled from her bit. Johns must have understood cause he answered her right away. "Don't know really, rouge comet maybe a meteor storm. Crash landed on some desert planet." With that said he chained her to a beam and left searching for something on the floor.

Minutes later he returned with a still chained Riddick but it was obvious there had been a squabble. Carla made a huff of air pass through her nose and johns glared at her. "You two are gonna be the death of me you know that?" _'You have no idea shithead.'_ Then he left again and she was alone to stare at Riddick.

At first she thought he was just standing to stretch his muscles but when she looked above him and saw the break in the beam her eyes bulged in horror. She was sure that he was crazy then. Then she heard the pop of his shoulders and his pained moans and she knew he was crazy. He fell forward and grabbed the cutting torch in front of him. It didn't take him long to cut away the restraints. Then he just looked at her for a second and took off. _'Should have known.'_ When Johns came back he was beyond pissed. He took off her bit and asked her where he went but she told him she didn't know and that was the truth. He just took off, she didn't know in what direction just knew he was gone. He left and all was quiet for a long while. That was until she heard the shots and screaming in the distance.

Johns came back dragging a semiconscious Riddick and chained him sitting down in one corner of the ship. He then moved Carla in front of Riddick on her knees facing him. She looked at him and growled. He only laughed. "This way if he tries to get free again he'll have to take you with him." He smiled at her. "And with your ass slowing him down he won't be able to put up half as good a run." With that he took off her bit and Riddick's and walked out. She looked up at his slumped head and waited for him to wake up. Suddenly his eyes snapped open and he stared back at her. No emotion in his face at first but soon a sly grin appeared.

"I'd like to wake up in this position more often." He looked at her and chuckled lightly.

Her eyes lowered and filled with a certain distance that Riddick associated with regret. "I wake up in this position too much." Her voice low and shameful.

He looked at her for a few moments longer. Her red hair made a shroud around her face and her lips pouted slightly. "Beautiful." It came out in such a quiet breath of air that she would never have heard it if they weren't alone and unmoving. Her face rose slowly to his and she stared at him, a look of bewilderment on her visage. "I may not like ya kid but I can appreciate the view." Her eye brows furrowed and then she smiled slightly but it was a fake smile, one to cover up her embarrassment.

"Yeah, you're not to bad yourself." This time her smile a little more genuine. "So, what happened out there?"

"They think I killed Zeke."

"Did you?" Her eyes begging him to say no.

He was quiet for a few seconds then answered. "No, there are worse things here than you and me doll."

"Where's the body?" Caroline Fry's voice echoed behind Carla and she saw his eyes rise to meet her. "Then tell me about the sounds." When he refused to answer she made an agitated sigh and continued. "Look you told Johns you heard something." Still nothing. "You don't wanna tell me that's fine but just so you know there's a debate right now as to whether we should leave you both here to die."

'_Both? What the hell did I do?' _She was just about to ask but was interrupted by the deep purr of Riddick's voice.

"You mean the whispers." His voice was a growl.

"What whispers?"

"The ones telling me to go for the sweet spot just left of the spine, fourth lumbar down, abdominal aorta. It's a metallic taste human blood but if you cut it with peppermint schnapps it goes away quick."

"You mind shocking me with the truth now." Caroline tried to sound challenging but her voice was laced with fear.

"All you people are so scared of me. Most days I'd take that as a compliment but it ain't me you gotta worry about now."

"Show me your eyes Riddick." Her voice filled with fear and curiosity.

"You'd have to come a lot closer than that." She moved forward slowly but Riddick beckoned her further, his voice a low growl. "Closer." A few more steps and he was on his feet in front of her. His movements lightning fast. Before she had time to react a voice from behind caught them off guard.

"Where the hell can I get eyes like that?" It was Jack, a runaway boy.

"You gotta kill a few people." Riddick rolled it off his tongue like it was the most natural thing ever.

"Ok I can do it." Jack took the last few steps of the ladder and leaned against it.

"Get sent to a slam where they tell you, you'll never see day light again and then you gotta dig up a doctor; pay him 20 menthol cools to do a surgical shine job on your eyeballs."

"So you can see who's sneaking up on you in the dark?" '_Smart kid,' Carla thought. 'This shit would've scared me to death if I heard it at his age.'_

Riddick smiled his reply, "Exactly."

"Leave," It came out a lot gruffer than she wanted so she softened her voice. "Leave." Fry was unnerved by the child's admiration and to tell you the truth so was Carla. Kids are supposed to fear this kind of stuff not worship it.

They all three watched the retreating form until he was safely out of sight. "Cute kid," Riddick smiled when he said it to Fry. "Did I kill a few people?" He sat back down, causing Carla to be force on her knees again. His face retreating back into the shadows, "Sure. Did I kill Zeke?" He let the question sit for a moment, letting Caroline sweat it out. "No, you got the wrong killer."

"He's not in the hole. We looked."

"Look deeper."

After Caroline left Carla could here their voices outside and then they faded away. "What's out there?" She looked up into his un-goggled eyes and saw the same emotionless expression she always saw. "What can be worse than you?" She smiled up at him but he didn't return her smile.

"The nightmares about to get worse doll." His silver eyes in the shadows and his gravel voice made her shudder. "Whatever got Zeke has a taste for human blood now. Let's just hope our luck turns around and we get off this rock before they come topside."

"I got a feeling our luck ain't gonna change."

He looked down at her and clenched his jaw tight. "Me too kid, me too."

A few hours later Johns returned, he came in and leaned against a beam.

"Finally found something worse than me huh?" Riddick had an evil smile on his face as he said it.

"So here's the deal," John's slow southern draw made Carla cringe, "you work without chains, without bit and without shivs. You do what I say when I say it."

"For what," Riddick's smile left as his jaw tightened. "The honor of going back to some asshole of a cell? Fuck you."

"Truth is I'm tired of chasing you."

"You saying you'd cut me loose?" Riddick's brow furrowed

"I'm thinking you could've died in the crash."

"My recommendation: do me. Don't take the chance that I'd get shiv happy on your wanna be ass." Riddick's voice was calm and low but Carla could feel the rage surging through his body. He quivered with it.

"What?"

"Ghost me mother fucker that's what I'd do to you." In a split second johns had the gun raised and fired it. Carla let out a squeal of surprise and tightly shut her eyes. She didn't wanna see the image of Riddick's brain split open, and then she heard the chains rattle to the floor. When she looked up Riddick was staring at Johns like he was a piece of meat and Riddick was a starved lion.

Johns held out Riddick's glasses, "I want you to remember this moment, the way it could have gone and didn't." He held the glasses out further. In a split second Riddick had the gun in his hand and it was pointed at Johns face.

Johns tried to say something but Riddick interrupted him with a roar. "Fuck you!" For a few seconds Carla thought he was gonna pull the trigger.

'_Do it,' she silently begged him. 'Just kill the son of a bitch.'_

"Do we have a deal?" Johns stared Riddick down.

Her pleas were not answered though, "I want you to remember this moment." With that Riddick threw the gun down and grabbed his goggles. He tried to walk but realized Carla was still attached. "What about her?"

Johns was a little shaken but recovered quickly. "What _about_ her?"

"Is she in on this little deal too?" Riddick asked it while he knelt down to release her.

"Sure, her bounty's not worth the trouble anyways." He smiled at her when she finally stood up. "Mainly kept her around for the company."

She thought about grabbing the gun off the floor and blowing his insides all over the wrecked wall of the ship but the sudden pressure of Riddick's hand on the small of her back stopped her. Instead, she followed Johns outside, Riddick's hand never leaving her until they were outside with the others. It was the first time Carla had seen any of the others except for Fry and Jack. She was surprised there were as many as here as there was. She looked down and noticed a large cell on the ground.

"Alright you two," Johns smiled at her. "Take that and follow us." The group started off as Carla and Riddick grabbed the cells. She tried to help him drag it but he only pulled away from her like the cell was weightless. _'Damn he's strong,' _she thought. They walked for no more than a mile when the skinny man dropped a bottle out of his bag. He scrambled for it but found himself face to face with Riddick instead and he was holding the bottle.

"Paris P. Ogilvy, antiquities dealer and entrepreneur." He held out his hand to Riddick and he accepted it with a smile.

"Richard B. Riddick, escaped convict, murderer." He pulled the bottle to his lips.

"That's a particularly good Shiraz; it's a lovely drop very expensive." He begged Riddick with his eyes but Riddick emptied the bottle. "By all means enjoy."

He turned and started on his way. Carla glanced up at Riddick, "Thanks for sharing." He only smiled at her and bowed his head as if to say 'you're welcome'. After several more miles Carla looked up to see a settlement small but visible in her vision. She thanked God for it.


	7. Rest before the storm

The settlement made her uneasy, it was a ghost town. It stood in an eerie silence that made her blood run cold. She split off from the group and made her way to a building off to her left. Looked like a bunk cabin.

The room was dark but as soon as she raised the window slats she could see well. A bed sat in one corner; it was made and covered in a thick layer of dust. On the night stand were pictures, a young man stood in one and behind him was the settlement. Carla picked the picture up and studied it.

He was a young man around her age, probably 25 or so maybe younger. He wore glasses and had dirty blonde hair. Be side him stood a very attractive young girl with deep black hair and green eyes. In the background was what looked like the construction of the settlement.

Suddenly she heard a noise behind her and when she turned around Riddick was standing in the doorway. "Can I help you?"

"Everyone's resting, I came looking for a room. Looks like you beat me to it." He turned to walk away.

"You can take it, I'm not tired." He turned around slowly and looked at her.

"You sure?" She nodded and he walked to the bed pulling off the dusty comforter and revealing the clean crisp sheets. He sat on the bed and started removing his boots. "Wanna pull those shades?" She complied and then he slipped off his goggles, silver orbs stared back at her. He reclined back on the bed with his arms crossed behind his head and the very sight of his relaxed form made Carla weak with exhaustion. She didn't realize how tired she was till just then. She rubbed the bridge of her nose and sighed heavily. "There's enough room on here for two." His voice was low but she heard him smile through it.

"I think I'll pass." She started for the door.

"Suit yourself," his voice void of all emotion. "I think there's an extra bed in the room Johns is sleeping in."

She stopped dead in her tracks when he said it and slowly turned around. There was no way she was sleeping in the same room as Johns; he'd be on her in a heart beat. She stared at Riddick a while longer than moved to the other side of him. "Look, you don't touch me, I don't touch you. That's the rules." She slipped off her boots and lay on the side of the bed with her back to Riddick. She was so far away from him that four other people could sleep between them. Suddenly an arm snaked around her and hauled her back on the bed. She started to panic but it was gone just as fast as it came.

"You were making my body ache just looking at ya doll." His voice dropped a few octaves and she felt his breath blow past her ear. "I ain't that kind of monster sweetheart. You got nothing to worry about."

She drew in a shaky breath to try and calm herself but she couldn't. Her whole body was tense and she was as wide awake now as she'd ever been. "Just what kind of animal are you than Riddick?" She had to challenge him, she was caught off guard but she had to prove to him she was still able to function.

She felt the bed sift and then the heat from his body surrounded her. His lips only inches from her ear. "I'm not gonna pretend I'm an angel but I'm not that sick darlin'." He sighed and the wind blew a stray strand of hair onto her neck. "I like to feel a woman buck and wiggle underneath me, hear her moan in pleasure. I ain't into that stiff as a board, cryin' shit like Johns. So like I said, you got nothin' to worry about." He sank back to his side of the bed and was silent the rest of the time.

Some time later Carla woke to find she was alone in the bed but she felt someone in the room with her. She sat up quickly trying to scan her surroundings but she could see nothing in the dark room. "Riddick must really have a thing for you darlin'. He never sleeps with a woman twice." The slow draw of the voice made her breath catch. She looked in the corner and saw his form sitting in a near by chair. "You know babe, maybe it's this heat or maybe the fact that we may never get off this rock but I find myself horny as hell." He rose from his chair and started towards her. "It's been a long time since I've had you in a bed baby."

She scooted back against the headboard, "No." Her voice didn't falter and it made him stop dead in his tracks.

"No? Like I said before darlin', it ain't your choice." He started towards her again but another voice cleared their throat.

"I don't think she wants to be bothered Johns." She screamed in happiness when she recognized his deep voice.

"What's the matter Riddick? You not like to share?" She could hear him smiling while he spoke. "She is a good fuck though ain't she? First time I had her she moaned like a whore. Did she moan for you Riddick?" She felt her face hot and the sudden urge to punch him square in the nuts.

"From what she told me she moaned for a bigger dick, said yours wasn't exactly up to par." His voice held a small hint of laughter. She saw Johns shadow tense and she did a happy dance inside. He started to say something but only cursed under his breath and pushed past Riddick. Carla exhaled in relief and laid her head back against the wall. "There's water outside, you should probably get some we're gonna head out soon." With that he was gone.

Carla went into the room where everyone was sitting discussing plans for what to do about the rest of the cells and things when Imam asked where Ali was. After finding him and the creatures in the Coring room Carla found herself becoming scared. Then Fry told them about the model of the system she found. When they went to check it out they learned of the eclipse every 22 years.

"It means nothing. We don't know when this is gonna happen so everyone just needs to calm down." Johns said with certainty.

Suddenly Paris burst through the door rather out of breath. "Excuse me, but perhaps you should see this." Everyone ran outside and looked to where Paris pointed over the horizon. Coming slowly up above the sand was the faint image of planetary rings.

Carla stood staring in fear and shock. How could this happen? Why was there luck running out. She felt warm air on her neck and then she heard his deep voice. "Your not afraid of the dark are you?"


	8. Lost hope

They ran for the sand cat as soon as they saw it. Riddick was no where to be seen and when a bald Jack pointed this out Paris suggested they leave him. The sudden sound of boots on metal alerted them to an ever present Riddick and Paris was quick to take back his previous statement. Carla watched as Johns came out of a nearby building carrying a small red box she recognized immediately. Riddick held out his hand for Johns but they were lost in a stare that said neither of them would back down when the time came.

They plowed through the canyon and speed to the ship. As soon as they got there Johns, Riddick, and Fry went for the cells while the others stayed near the sand cat. That was until Paris jumped down and went to the cargo hold.

"Where do you think your going?" Shazza yelled after him.

"I'll only be gone a second," Paris yelled over his shoulder, "You wouldn't leave without me would you?"

Shazza just shook her head and Paris continued on his way. Carla watched as the ringed planet crawled closer and closer to the sun and the light got dimmer and dimmer. Jack and Shazza were trying to clean the solar panel but the light was fading fast and the engine quickly died. As soon as the last crank turned in the cat Carla heard a horrible shriek and saw thousands of animals fly from the tops of the mounds she had seen earlier. _'There the same ones that killed Ali oh shit there coming for us.'_

"People, just a suggestion," Paris yelled from the cargo bay, "Perhaps you should FLEE!" With that Carla jumped from the sand cat and ran as fast as she could for Paris. She could hear them coming, the flapping of their wings were so loud she could barley hear her own breathing. As she reached the rut the ship had made in the earth a force knocked into her and she fell hard against the ground. She couldn't breathe all the air was knocked from her chest and she was unable to stand. She heard the cry of the animals as they flew over her and felt the wind from their beating wings. When they were past she lay there a moment and started to stand but stopped quickly when she heard Jack scream and she saw Shazza start to run. Suddenly hundreds of animals were on her and she was lifted into the air only to be torn in half and carried away. Carla's throat was tight and she bit back the urge to vomit. She heard something stir behind her and when she looked she saw Riddick stand and dust off his hands. She waited a second longer and pushed herself fully to her feet. The others stood staring back out into the desert and when Carla turned she saw the last remaining strands of light go from the sky.

She could hear the sounds, they were much louder than the others had been and when Fry asked Riddick what he saw his only reply was "Beautiful." They all crammed into the tiny cargo hold and began to cut their way deeper inside. Once they felt they were safe they sat huddled around the torch, each one waiting for someone else to come up with a plan. Carla glanced around and saw Riddick was gone, as if to answer her thoughts she heard a scream. In seconds everyone was on their feet and headed in the direction. Johns shined his light down a black hallway and right into the eyes of a running Riddick. He fell to the ground with a cry of agony and then the creature leapt for them. Two shots rang out and it dropped dead to the floor. Johns shined the gun light over it and its skin popped and bubbled showing that it was hurt by the light. Soon the sounds of the creatures outside lead them from their thoughts and they went back to their circle of light, without the company of Imam's middle child.

No one could come up with a plan for survival. Fry wanted to take the cells to the skiff as originally planned but Johns said it would mean their death. Carla was off to herself in a corner while the others argued. She was still replaying the recent events in her head. Three people were dead now and she knew more were sure to perish. She looked around at the remaining few and tried to settle on which ones were to meet their demise. The most obvious was the kid. He was scared to death and had good reason to be. If one of those things wanted a quick lunch he would make the perfect appetizer. Then there was the holy mans last kid. He was bigger than Jack but he was still an easy target. Paris she was sure would never make it. He didn't fit the persona. The holy man himself Carla couldn't see making it out but he'd make it longer than the kids. Fry, she seemed like she was a fighter, she'd at least make it to the canyon. Johns, that fucker was full of luck so she figured he'd get out on a technicality. Probably use one of the others as bait, probably one of the kids. The only one she saw with a real chance of survival was Riddick. She watched him across the room. He was listening quietly while Johns and Fry argued over what to do. When Johns made a move on Caroline Riddick was up in a flash with his shiv against John's groin. Then there was her. She couldn't look forward and see her own demise but she knew it was gonna happen. Luck didn't run her way and she wasn't skilled enough to make it out, at least not without some help. She watched intently while Riddick stood between Johns and Caroline. She felt something stir inside her. What was it about her? What made her better than Carla? She wondered how Riddick could despise her but went out of his way to help Caroline. What did she have that Carla didn't?

Riddick couldn't take the fighting anymore. Johns and Fry were acting like 13 year old kids. When they tried to attack each other he intervened only to make the clatter stop. After they were both calmed down a little more he turned his goggled stare to Carla. He had been watching her earlier, the way she surveyed the others. She was seeing who was gonna make it out alive. She was smarter than he gave her credit; he was the last person her gaze fell to. _So she knows I'm the only sure shot of getting outa here in one piece. Wonder where she put herself on the list? _When he had to get between Fry and Johns her face hardened. He thought he saw a look of jealousy but it vanished and her furrowed brow showed inquiry.

The decision was made; the plan was to go as before. Take the cells to the skiff and fly off this heap. They gathered all means of light: booze, flares, and the generator lights. Carla looked out at the blackness before her and realized there was no turning back now. Only two things lay out there beyond the light, death or salvation.

They started out fast, Riddick in the lead with the light on his back and everyone else in tow. It wasn't long before they slowed to a walk and then the problems started. The flare wouldn't have mattered but Jack wasn't gonna let any precious light go unused. She only took the lights off for a second but that was all it took for the beast to attack. She didn't know what was happening until she felt Imam throw her to the ground. Then she heard shots and Fry yelling and then there was darkness.

Carla yelled for Paris but he continued to crawls pulling the generator off the sled and the lights began to fade. The sound of tearing told her Paris was dead and then a green light flooded her vision. Johns had hit a flare and the group stood staring at each other. The looks of panic told her that things were falling apart and fast.

They continued on, the only light now was the soft glow from Paris's booze. Fry yelled to pick up the pace and Carla saw the look in johns eyes he was pissed. Then she looked down and saw that they were crossing their tracks. _What the fuck is he doing?_

"Why did we circle are we lost?" Imam questioned.

His voice was low, "Listen."

"So you even know where we are?"

"LISTEN?" Everyone turned to face him. :Canyon ahead, I circled once to buy some time."

"I think we should go now."

"Oh, I don't know about that. That's death row up there." He turned to look at Jack, Caroline, and Carla. "Especially with the girl bleeding."

"What the fuck you talking about, neither of them are cut?" John's sounded annoyed.

Carla followed Riddick's gaze where it landed on Jack. _Holy shit, he's a girl._ "You're fucking kidding me?" Everyone turned to look at her, it was one of the few sentences that came from Carla and her voice was slightly amused.

Jacks face fell and she went to the ground hugging her knees. She rambled about being taken better as a guy and Carla guessed she was right. Girls don't usually travel well alone, too many sickos out here.

"They've had their nose open for her since we left. If you haven't noticed they go off blood."

"Look this ain't gonna work." Carla and Johns both turned to look at Fry. "We gotta go back."

"What did you say?" Carla noticed the venom in John's voice and she felt the hairs on her neck stand up.

"Look you were right ok. We should go back to the ship."

"I don't know Caroline, wide open spaces, nice breeze, I'm starting to enjoy my fuckin' self."

"What are you high again?"

"No, your right Caroline, my life's just a meaningless pile of shit anyhow. So I say mush on. Now why don't you butch up, shove a cork in this kid, and let's get a move on. Canyons only a few hundred yards."

Imam cut in and Carla knew a fight was coming. "she is the captain, I say we listen to her."

"Listen to her? When she was so easy to sacrifice us all. During the crash she tried to blow the passenger cabin. Tried to kill us in our sleep." He started to go on but Caroline attacked but Johns threw her to the ground without effort.

Johns got a shit eaten' grin on his face that made Carla shudder. "Ooh Caroline, how much do you weigh now?" He grabbed a flare and lit it. "Verdicts in, light moves forward."

They stared to move again and Carla found herself at the front of the group between Riddick and the others. She couldn't see him and she thought he was ahead of her but when she felt the air change at her side she glanced and saw him in stride beside her. "Seven of us left," his voice was low and mocking. "Think we'll all make it?"

She didn't look at him just stared ahead into darkness. "Probably not."

"What about you, you gonna make it?"

She waited awhile before she spoke. "Not likely. I'm sure my times almost up."

He stared at her for a long while after she spoke. She was honest, she knew her chances were slim but she kept going. Never slowing down, never giving up even when all the signs pointed to death. He started to speak again but Johns was by their side.

"Not all of us are gonna make it out alive." His southern drawl made Carla cringe.

"Just figure that out?" Riddick was blunt.

"Seven of us left. If we could make it through the canyon and lose just on that would be quite a feet."

"Not if I'm the one." They talked as if she wasn't there.

"What if your one of six?"

Riddick paused and then continued on. "I'm listening."

They continued on while Riddick and johns talked about how they would drag the body. Pull it behind and keep it off their sent. Carla was pale with realization as they walked next to her. "So," Riddick drawled, "which one caught your eye?" He started to turn but Johns put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. Carla also felt his hand squeeze on her shoulder.

"Jesus Riddick, don't look." He pushed them both forward and continued. "At first I thought the kid, I mean they already know her blood but then again it's a kid and even I'm not that sick."

_Yeah right, _Carla thought, _you got a bigger piece of meat in mind._ Suddenly realization dawned on her and she felt sick.

Johns smiled when he felt her tense and pulled her closer so she couldn't run. "So, you're not as dumb as I thought are you darlin'." He turned and looked to Riddick. "You do her and I'll keep the others off your back, I mean she's a convict to, they won't be to upset." He stopped and held her out in front of him to Riddick. She stared up into his goggle less eyes and waited. No tears came, no pleas for mercy.

Riddick paused to look at her. Her big blue eyes stared into his but he saw no fear, she was ready. "What's wrong Riddick?" Johns smiling voice interrupted. "Not to much of a job is it?"

"No, just thought we might need a bigger piece of meat." He took his eyes off Carla and stared at Johns.

They were both silent and suddenly Carla felt herself thrown to the ground. They were on each other in a heart beat. They countered blows and landed a few punches. Carla watched as Johns gun was knocked loose and he was on Riddick with a shiv to Riddick's neck.

Riddick was thrown off balance after knocking the gauge away and then John's was on him with his own shiv against his neck. Before Riddick could recover he heard shot and a fraction later he felt the warm trickle of blood on his stomach. He looked up and saw the bewildered look on John's face. He slumped off Riddick and turned to look behind him. Carla stood holding his gauge, her face both happy and frightened.

"You fuckin' bitch," blood was sputtering from John's moth now. "What the fuck?"

She stared at him a while longer and then threw the gun down. "That's for thinking you could touch me you sick fuck, that's for pumping that shit inside of me so that my body needed it, and that's so I can sleep at night knowing you're rotting in hell."

He stared a while longer but soon his body slumped in death. She stood staring at his lifeless form, she should be happy but she felt weird. She had killed before but she left before the idea set in, now she stood staring at the shell of what was a man. She didn't notice Riddick till his body obstructed her view. He said nothing only looked at her and then turned to find the others. She stared a moment longer at the body and then she turned to follow. As soon as the light was gone she heard the beasts pounce on him. Finally she felt relief.


End file.
